Ten curious misconceptions about Mark Zuckerberg's Visit to Nigeria...
1. That a young rich American man wears a pair of Jean and T-shirt to
an informal business session in a foreign third world country is neither
sign of humility nor a sign of simplicity, it is a mere signal of
personality preference and peculiarity of his nationality. I remember
seeing the world's richest man, Bill Gates on the same stage in America
with Africa's richest man, Alhaji Aliko Dangote, whilst the latter wore a
suit, the former adorned a shirt and trouser. Neither of them is being
humble or simple in appearance as a contradistinctive reflection or
diminutive indication of their wealth, they only appeared in what they
are comfortable in. Saying what we wear is a reflection of our humility
is like judging a good book by its flashy or unornate cover. In any
case, the weather might contribute a great deal to the Jean and T-shirt
appearance. Most Americans will appear in casuals to savour the heat in
our tropical region, they don't get lots of sunlight in their country.
Who tans in suit? Wearing a T-shirt and Jean to a foreigner is like
wearing your Buba and trouser as a Nigerian. Neither is superior to the
other... Just stop the unpardonable ignorance already...
2. The
young man was not in Nigeria just to have fun and jog on the overpriced
Lekki-Ikoyi bridge, he came to explore more business opportunities and
swell his fortunes. Whilst you are wasting data debating on the
appropriateness or otherwise of his visit, dressing, culinary apparatus
and faith or lack of it, he is making money from your needless prittle
prattle. Nigeria remains an active Facebook community and wonderful
opportunities abound in her yet unexplored technological and infomatic
database market. A Zuckerberg doesn't see the problems, he makes money
from the prospects...
3. Events determine appropriate costume.
Have you stopped to wonder why he chose to wear a suit for the Aso rock
meeting with the President and Vice President? When a man attends
informal gatherings with young people, his choice of dressing is
understandably casual, when he is billed to meet a President at a formal
occasion, it is expected he appears formal. How you dress is a function
of who you are meeting. You don't appear before Kings in rags. Lawyers
don't go to court in boxers and singlets. Who goes clubbing in Agbada?
Not even a Yoruba demon...
4. You don't struggle to appear rich
when you are really very rich. Wealthy people don't flaunt wealth,
that's who they are. Saying a rich man appeared rich is like saying
blood is red. That is what it is. Less is more. Real wealth doesn't
shout aloud, it shows despite all odds even in simplicity. A guy in
T-shirt, but who is flown in a private jet is not humble or shabbily
dressed. The appearance of the wealthy has nothing to do with their
acquisition. Those who have so much money do not have the luxury of time
to spend it, they are too busy re-investing it and making more money.
It is not strange that someone who made money legitimately will have no
time to impress people with it. Those who really count, have no time to
count it.
5. Thinkers are ordinary people with extraordinary
abilities. The emphasis for shakers and doers is not what they wear,
it's in what wears them. Their focus does not lie in what they drive,
but what drives them. I am yet to meet a sophisticated brainiac with a
complex physical appearance. Not one. Depth betrays acoustic vanity. The
mind of a creative is incredibly fertile that he has no time to nurture
the execrations of the fickle superficiality that bestrides his looks
and covering. Vain appearance is for the thoughtless. The one we look
at, doesn't look at people.
6. It is unnecessary to compare the
lifestyle of a young private American Billionaire with that of our old
public Nigerian multi millionaires. A man who earned money legitimately
has nothing to hide and thus, fears nothing. A man who stole from the
public till must protect himself from the consequences of his loot - the
angry and hungry scavengers pervading the society looking for whom to
devour and destroy. He who has swallowed a pestle cannot sleep, bending.
Conscience is an open wound, only the truth can heal it. A clear
conscience is a better safeguard than an army of escorts and a retinue
of anti bomb bodyguards. In any case, the one who has stolen from the
people must hurriedly extend same on luxurious pursuits of boundless
pleasure, primitive material acquisition and spurious gluttonous
consumption. Who knows when the excel crook thief will die? Poverty is a
mentality, no amount of stolen money can cure it. Moreover, you can buy
an ass, but you can't buy class.
7. Poor people discuss the
rich, the rich is not even conscious of the wealth. There is no art to
find the mind's expression on the face. A simple dress sense is no
humility detector. Eating solid swallowable morsel with bare hands the
traditional way has no nexus with one's simplicity paradigm. Using
cutlery for same does not elevate your social status all the same- it
all boils down to choice. Many people don't eat with their bare hands
out of inconvenience, fixed nails or hotness of the meal, not because
they are forming. When you are in Rome, it makes sense to act Roman.
That a white man eats with his bare hands is not a privilege, try eating
burger with cutlery. If you feel excited that a human being like you
ate like you do, where the hell is your self esteem?
8. Mark
Zuckerberg came to meet with business developers and entrepreneurs, not
self-appointed Facebook nobodies masquerading as deluded online
celebrities. We all focus on the profit, no one bothers with the
nitwits. That you own a busy Facebook page does not make you better than
anyone. Even Mark can't recognize your activity. A Facebook celebrity
is nothing more than a popular nobody.
9. Baseless fashion sense
comparison. It is altogether foolish to appoint a young casually dressed
American Billionaire as your sudden model of approved appearance. That
the young American has decided to wear same colour of Jean and T-shirt
to a business luncheon does not mean we should condemn those who appear
gay and radiant to public functions. If you are not a Mark Zuckerberg,
don't wear common Jean and T-shirt to a business conference, you will be
bounced. You don't have to announce your appearance If your appearance
announces itself. Everyone cannot be a Zuckerberg. Some of us are just
content with our Goldbergs. It is sickening to demonize those who dress
well or put people down for wanting to look good, just because a richer
Zuckerberg is comfortable in Jean and T-shirt. In any case, most of the
people who wear suits often work for men in Jean and T-shirt. But until
you are one, don't wear one. Societies differ, so do people...
10. That you could not see mean, ferocious looking, gun-wielding,
bags-carrying, siren-blaring, uniformed men around him does not mean he
traveled without security. Mark isn't that dumb. He trusts Nigeria and
Nigerians, but it is normal he would tread with caution. Security
surveillance has advanced beyond physical monitoring and gun-toting
vigilance. From security information, intelligence-gathering to
unscheduled appearances and prompt departure that blind an enemy, that
is the new face of security. No enemy can prevail against you without
information. Have you thought about why he didn't visit Borno? Lagos and
Abuja are relatively safe. It's even foolhardy to kidnap such a wizard
kid who invented such a formidable interconnectivity app like Facebook.
How more dangerous and catchable can one be to have such a brainiac in
captivity? Moreover, he is a security unto himself... If you don't hit
the mark, be still...
-'Tosin Ayo,
(The word bank).